Workshop on Violence against Women

Trainers from HAWCA, the Humanitarian Assistance for the Women and Children of Afghanistan, held a workshop about Violence against Women in OPAWC's center for the women on 10 November 2015.

The one-day workshop covered issues such as: What is violence, kinds of violence, reasons for violence,why women are not responding to violence, forced marriage, and world-wide efforts to eliminate violence against women.

The increase in the rate of violence against women is the result of a lack of lows to defend women. The Law of Elimination of Violence against women (EVAW) that had been formulated in 2009 during the Karzai period has been put aside and is not used.

Men consider violence as their legal right. This idea is helped by illiteracy and a lack of knowledge about the importance of humane conduct. They think that because they are physically powerful and stronger than women and because they are the economic authority in the family women are dependent on them and it is their legal right to be violent whenever something goes against their wishes.

The issue was of great interest for the women. They participated widely and put forward their experiences of violence that they faced in their own family. Some suggestions were given to them at the end of the program. Women expressed their thanks for providing them with such a valuable workshop.